Dark Water: Lantern Beach Blackout, Book 1

by Barritt, Christy

  “I don’t know. I want to say no, but nothing is off the table. Elise went to the command a week ago. What if whoever is behind these attacks sent someone here—before Elise even showed up? If there’s something askew, me and my guys are going to be under the microscope as well. It might be a longshot . . . but it might not be.”

  “Colton’s right.” Ty’s jaw looked tight, and his voice sounded serious. “We can’t take anything for granted. While I’ve never dealt with the Savages directly, I know enough about them to know they’re vile and have no respect for human life. If they come here to this island, it’s going to be trouble.”

  Cassidy released her breath, trying to think the logistics through. “If one of these guys—the Savages—were to come here to the island, would I be able to spot them? Do they make an effort to blend in? Do they even have people here in the US?”

  “Last I heard, they’ve been recruiting in the US,” Ty said. “If there were known terrorists within our borders, the FBI would be all over it. But these guys are smart, and they have money.”

  “Where do they get their money?” Cassidy asked, wiping stray crumbs from the table.

  “We’ve suspected for a while there’s someone in the US who might be financing them,” Colton said. “The CIA has been trying to follow the money trail. Of course, I’m not privy to any of that information anymore.”

  “They hate the US more than any other group that I’ve ever seen.” Ty glanced out the window and frowned. “And I’ve seen some pretty hateful groups.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “You’d even rank them above the Taliban?”

  “Yes, I would,” Ty said.

  “Then why haven’t I heard more about them?” Cassidy tried to put the pieces together. Something just didn’t seem to fit. She watched the news every morning, and she’d heard very little about the group. Why wasn’t their name all over the headlines?

  “Word of them hasn’t spread through the media yet,” Colton said. “The government has been trying to keep them under wraps so as to not cause hysteria. But it’s only a matter of time before people learn more. Their attacks are growing more violent, and they’re becoming harder to ignore.”

  Cassidy leaned back and frowned. “I don’t like the sound of this.”

  It seemed like every time they had a few months of peace and quiet here on the island, something else happened. And it was never something small. First, a ruthless West Coast gang had come here. Then Gilead’s Cove, a deadly cult, had moved onto the island. Their little beach town just couldn’t seem to catch a break.

  Colton’s gaze met hers. “Me and my guys are here to help you in whatever way we can.”

  Cassidy leaned back and nodded. In the eight or nine months since she had gotten to know Colton, she’d been nothing but impressed. He was a good guy, and Ty trusted him. That went a long way for her. The rest of the team seemed equally as honorable.

  Cassidy glanced at her watch. “Unfortunately, I’ve got to go to my meeting now, but I’ll keep my eyes open. Let’s have open communication going here. I’ll let you know if I see trouble, and you do the same for me.”

  “I will,” Colton said.

  Ty stood. “I’ll walk you out.”

  He placed a hand on her back and stepped onto the screened-in porch. They silently walked down the stairs, Kujo on their heels. A brisk wind swept over them, and the salty ocean scent reminded her that she was just a small part of a bigger plan. The beach—and even just living here in Lantern Beach—reminded her of that fact daily.

  It was one more reason she loved being here. It helped keep her life in perspective.

  Ty paused beside her police cruiser. “Are you really okay with this? When I told you I wanted to start Hope House, you may have never imagined taking on all of this.”

  “It sounds like your friends need help. That’s what we’re here for. I just don’t want to see other innocent people get hurt in the process.”

  “Neither do I.” Ty pushed the hair out of her eyes as wind swept around them. “Neither do any of us.”

  Her heart pounded at her husband’s touch. She hoped that feeling never went away. She thanked God every day for sending Ty into her life. “Be safe.”

  Ty leaned forward and planted a kiss on her lips. “I will, and you too.”

  “I pray this meeting doesn’t end in a fistfight.” Cassidy wished she was joking, but there had been so much tension over this possible hotel that she had no idea what to expect tonight. Her only comfort was in knowing that Mayor Mac MacArthur would also be there to help her take some of the heat.

  Chaos was trying to return to her island. Cassidy could feel it in her bones. She was going to do everything in her power to stop that from happening.

  Chapter Ten

  Colton had escaped to his cabana for the evening. There were six behind the house and each was a different beachy color—coral, yellow, turquoise, navy blue, purple, and pink. The places were small but ample, with a double bed, a tiny bathroom, an efficiency kitchen, and two chairs with a table. A small loft filled the space near the ceiling. Outside, each of them had a small porch with a hammock.

  Colton and his guys were only staying here temporarily until they could figure out something more permanent. But the setup was perfect for them.

  He’d just opened a bottle of water when he heard a knock at the door. He grabbed his gun and stepped closer, knowing he needed to stay on guard. As he peered out the window, he saw Dez standing there. He placed his gun back on the table before opening the door and ushering his friend side.

  “I found out something I knew you would want to know.” Dez held up some papers.

  Colton pointed to the chair in the corner and motioned for him to sit down. While he lowered himself into the matching chair across from Dez, Colton’s heart pounded with anticipation of what he might learn.

  “What’s going on?” he asked.

  “So I’ve been staring at these numbers and letters that Elise found. I definitely think this is some type of code, but it’s top level. I have a couple programs that can usually break things like this.”

  “So you had no luck decoding this one?”

  “Not yet,” Dez said. “It’s beyond the scope of my computer program. But I think I know someone who can. Kari Stevenson.”

  “I remember Kari. She’s one of the top cryptologists in the country.”

  Dez nodded. “That’s right. I know her personally. I know that we can trust her.”

  Colton didn’t feel quite as certain, for more than one reason—starting with the fact that he didn’t know whom he could trust right now. “I don’t know if I want to bring someone else into this.”

  “I’m telling you, I’ve been working on this for hours and I’ve gotten nowhere. If we want to know what this says, we’re going to need help. You can trust Kari.”

  “It’s not so much that I’m afraid we can’t trust her. It’s more the fact that I don’t know if we should pull anyone else into this.”

  “You’re afraid that she would be in danger.” Dez’s lips pulled down in a frown.

  “Exactly.”

  “I could apprise her of the potential consequences of this, and she could have the chance to agree or disagree. That way, she’d be going in with her eyes wide open if she decided to help.”

  Colton nodded. “I like that idea better. But we’re also going to need a cover story. As much as I want to think we can trust everyone, somebody is working for the other side.”

  Dez rubbed the tattoo on his forearm, the one that looked like a rosary, as he muttered, “You really think so?”

  “I really think so.” Colton stroked his jaw as it began to throb. He’d been gritting his teeth today, and he knew it. It happened whenever he had a lot on his mind.

  “It’s your call.” Dez raised his head, the action showing he still had respect for the chain of command, even though they were no longer in the military. “I’ll do whatever you want.”

  Colton chewed
on it for only a minute before saying, “Talk to Kari. Use the secure line in the office, just to be safe. If Kari doesn’t want to help, we won’t pressure her.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  Colton shook his head, still thinking about Dez’s discovery. “A military code, huh?”

  “What’s that look for?”

  “There’s only a small circle of people who could be responsible.” His gaze met Dez’s. “Someone we know has betrayed us.”

  “Who knows about that last mission besides the five of us?” Dez leaned forward in his chair, his gaze narrow with thought.

  Colton had been thinking about it all day, ever since Elise had shown up. Worst-case scenarios continued to run through his mind. “Let’s start at the top. The Secretary of the Navy authorized the operation.”

  “But he didn’t necessarily know the details.” Dez tapped his fingers together. “He probably got some intel from a CIA operative and knew we needed to act.”

  “Again, the CIA operative probably didn’t know the details of what we were going to do. They were just passing along information.”

  Dez nodded. “Correct. Commander Larson was then handed the intel, and he helped to plan the operation. He pulled us into it once the details were finalized.”

  Colton pressed his teeth together, reminding himself not to grind them. He pictured that meeting leading up to their mission. “The commander’s assistant was also there when we were debriefed. He didn’t necessarily know when it was taking place, but he was aware of what we were going to do.”

  “True. And we can’t forget Beanie. He drove the boat to take us to the site. He’s still in the service. Stationed in the Middle East right now, so I think we can rule him out.”

  Colton’s thoughts shifted to Benjamin again. He hated to think one of his men could be responsible. But Benjamin was less bonded with the team. He’d been the newest SEAL to join them. He kept to himself, and something about the man made him hard to get to know.

  “What are you thinking?” Dez studied Colton’s face a moment.

  “Nothing worth sharing.” Getting something like that out in the open would only spell trouble. But if one of his men had betrayed them, it was better to keep that person close, to keep an eye on him.

  Dez stood but paused, something still obviously on his mind. “I can’t believe Elise is back.”

  When he heard Dez say her name, something clenched inside Colton. Benjamin was supposed to be keeping an eye on Daniel when everything went wrong. Though he didn’t blame Benjamin, part of Colton wondered how things would be different right now if Benjamin had done his job properly.

  Colton had tried to forget that thought for the past year, but it was nearly impossible. Almost every day, Colton reviewed the facts of their last operation. He tried to figure out what could have been done to ensure Daniel was still with them now.

  Things would be so different if he was. Daniel would be here to defend himself, to tell people that he wasn’t guilty of the things he’d been accused of. Maybe Colton and all his guys would still be SEALs.

  It was unsettling how just one day could change everything. But that’s what had happened. Nothing had been the same since that mission went south.

  “Does Elise know the truth?” Dez asked.

  “No.” Colton’s throat tightened as he said the word.

  “You going to tell her?”

  “I don’t know yet. It’s classified. But Daniel was her husband. And if she knows all the details . . .”

  “She won’t blame you. It wasn’t your fault.”

  Colton said nothing. But he knew it was his fault. No one would change his mind.

  And if Elise found out the truth, she’d never forgive him.

  Dez left a few minutes later, and Colton locked the door behind him. But he couldn’t bring himself to sit back down. His muscles were too rigid and tight. Instead, he stood by a window and stared outside.

  If it was any other night, he would go out for a jog or lift weights. But he didn’t want to wander too far away from the house where Elise stayed. Though he knew she was in good hands there with Ty and Cassidy, Colton still felt responsible for her.

  Daniel would want him to keep an eye on her. He’d hate to know how his death had shattered Elise’s heart.

  Before Colton dropped the curtain, he saw something move near the sand dunes in the distance.

  He tensed.

  Someone was out there, he realized.

  Whoever it was, Colton couldn’t let him get away.

  He grabbed his gun and reached for the door.

  Chapter Eleven

  Colton was thankful he wore black joggers and a long-sleeved black T-shirt. It would help him blend into the night.

  He jogged around the cabana toward the sand dunes in the distance.

  Who was out there? Was it the same person who had attacked Elise at her home last night?

  Anger burned up his spine at the thought. That person deserved to pay. If Elise hadn’t been so sharp, she’d be dead right now.

  The sand muted the sound of Colton’s steps. The half-moon tonight offered a scattering of light, but still enough dimness to conceal him.

  He paused near a low-lying shrub and glanced around. Where had the shadow gone?

  Colton had definitely seen movement over here, and it wasn’t just the marsh grass swaying in the breeze. Someone had been crouching there.

  On silent footsteps, he moved toward the spot. Everything was quiet around him except for the occasional breeze rustling the dry foliage.

  Ty’s place was fairly secluded with no houses on the north side, only a wide stretch of marsh. On the other side was another cottage, which was empty right now.

  Colton held his gun steady, listening for the sound of someone sneaking up on him.

  He still heard nothing.

  Finally, he reached the area where he’d seen the shadow. The man had been behind a patch of seagrass. Now the site was empty.

  But footprints imprinted the ground.

  Colton definitely hadn’t been imagining things. Someone had most definitely been here.

  He glanced around again. Still no one.

  The bad feeling grew in his gut. The fact that this person had managed to evade Colton showed he knew what he was doing. Maybe he was even a professional.

  Remaining low, Colton traced the footprints, but the tracks ended at the marsh grass.

  What was on the other side of this area?

  Just as the question entered his mind, an engine roared to life.

  Colton popped his head up in time to see headlights speeding away in the distance.

  Someone had been here, but they’d gotten away. Colton knew there was no chance of catching this person now. By the time he hopped in his car, this guy would be long gone.

  But his worry only continued to snowball. Whatever was going on, Colton feared somebody would get hurt before it was all done.

  He vowed that person wouldn’t be Elise.

  Chapter Twelve

  Elise awoke the next morning from a restless night. Bad dreams had plagued her—dreams of someone breaking into her room. Except, in her dreams, she’d given the information over before the man shot her. She’d woken up before the bullet could pierce her skin.

  The sequences felt so real that her mind reeled with revulsion.

  Finally, she got dressed and followed the sound of sizzling food into the kitchen. Cassidy stood at the counter, cooking some bacon and pancakes.

  “Morning,” Elise called.

  Cassidy glanced over her shoulder. “Good morning.”

  “Let me help. I’m a great pancake maker.”

  “I won’t argue with having some assistance.” Cassidy handed over her spatula.

  “You always cook for the guys?” She took her place by the griddle, thankful for a moment of normalcy.

  Cassidy let out a short laugh. “Nope. I’m feeling generous today. And I haven’t gotten any calls yet. Usually, the guys take tur
ns.”

  “Nice.” Elise glanced around. “Speaking of which, where is everyone right now?”

  “Working out. They jog on the beach every morning and then lift weights. They have to stay in shape if they’re going to do their jobs.”

  “I suppose they do.”

  “They let me join them sometimes. I think they’re afraid I’m going to outdo them, though.” She flashed a smile.

  Elise smiled back. She’d always appreciated any woman who could put a SEAL in his place—especially if they didn’t take themselves too seriously about it. Cassidy seemed perfect for the job.

  “Any updates on my car?” Elise asked, taking her place at the counter.

  Cassidy’s smile disappeared. “As a matter of fact, yes. A bomb was positioned on the undercarriage of the vehicle. It appears to have been detonated with a cell phone.”

  “Someone could do that remotely?”

  She nodded. “Yes, they could.”

  “So, for all they knew, I could have been in the car?”

  “Maybe. But you also need to remember that, with that cell phone, they could have tracked your location. The explosion going off when it did could have just been a means of sending a message.”

  Elise felt herself wobble as she stood there at the counter.

  “The good news is that you’re safe—for now.” Cassidy flashed a comforting smile before flipping a piece of bacon. “By the way, Ty only had good things to say about Daniel. He called him a true American hero.”

  “He was a good man.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, how did the two of you meet? Were you high school sweethearts?”

  “No, I don’t mind at all. As a matter of fact, we were high school sweethearts.” Those days seemed like another lifetime ago. “Daniel was captain of the debate team. I was president of the school’s service club. We had to team up to do a project—the school’s idea, not ours. We couldn’t have been less thrilled to work with each other. But once we really got to know each other, we were both smitten. I knew he was the one for me.”